Requiem for a Familiar
by insidiousotaku
Summary: A bleak future sends the past its only hope for salvation, a fusion of science fiction and magic.  Rated M for potential content and vocabulary
1. Prologue

Requiem for a Familiar

This is my first story, so please read and review!

Disclaimer

I do not own Zero No Tsukaima, or its characters, I just love the story and want to share my take on it.

/Disclaimer

Chapter 0.1: Prologue

The theory of the multiverse states that instead of one lone universe there are infinite universes, each with their own similarities and differences from one another. Some may differ drastically, while others remain nearly identical, but separated on the temporal plane. In some cases by just a matter of moments, and a matter years in others. Much like the stars in the night sky, new universes are born, while older ones die out, either due to the dwindling strength of any one given universe, or due to the tampering of its internal space and time field.

This is a tale of two such universes, both inhabited by a magical world, known as Halkeginia. One, still very much in the early stages of its development, brimming with life and potential. The second, just a mere 15 years in the future, faces the inevitable fate brought unto it by its inhabitants. Finally realizing their mistake, albeit too late, they arrived on the only logical conclusion. They were to make one last rift in the time space continuum, not for transport, but to send a message, in the form of the consciousness of the sole remaining life form still living in both universes. While they hoped that this plan would lead to the eventual salvation of the earlier universe, they also knew, all too well, of the consequences. Their current universe was clinging to life by a thread, and this would most likely sever that thread, and with it, their current universe would collapse in on itself and ultimately, cease to exist. Even knowing that, they pressed onward, in the hopes of preventing the same mistakes from happening again.

The only man they could trust with this final mission, was not only a very influential character, but had also already saved his own world on several occasions. His name is Hiraga Saito. Although not originally an inhabitant of that world, his fate would prove where he belonged.

-Prologue End-


	2. Genesis of Fate

Requiem for a Familiar

This is my first story, so please read and review!

Disclaimer

I do not own Zero No Tsukaima, or its characters, I just love the story and want to share my take on it.

/Disclaimer

Chapter 1: Genesis of Fate

A brisk autumn afternoon, sunny, but not without a chill in the air foretelling of the winter season just around the corner. Hiraaga Saito, emerging from an electronics repair shop just a few blocks from his home, shuddered a bit as a sudden, cool breeze greeted him upon stepping out of the shop. "I can't believe it" he muttered under his breath, "7000 yen just for repairs!" Saito was referring, of course, to the laptop he held in his right hand. "For that much, I may just as well have put a down payment on a brand new one!" He sighed as he continued towards his house.

Turning three corners, and heading down the same back roads he used all the time, Saito stopped to take in his surroundings. Even though he had lived there all his life, nothing had really changed from when he was just a little child. "It's always like this, nothing exciting ever happens." Sighing at the state of the boring little town he lived in, Saito turned one final corner. "I wish that I could just leave it all behind, and make something of mys-" His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sight the now beheld in front of him. A bright green light appeared before him, taking him by surprise. He raised his arm in front of his face so as not to be blinded by its mysterious luminescence.

"What is this?" A thought that must have run through his head a million separate times, as he paced around it, attempting to ascertain just that. As he drew closer to it, he could almost swear he heard a voice. It wasn't distinct enough to make out what was being said, but the voice definitely belonged to a girl. Saito came closer still, seemingly desperate to understand this unknown voice, but he came too close. As his body came into contact with the light, he found himself being pulled in. He panicked and began trying to fight his way out, looking around for anyone that he could call to for help, only to find that he was alone on the street. It seemed that the more he struggled, the more he realized that any effort to escape at this point was useless. Heading to what he believed to be his eventual demise, he raise his head, and cast one final glance down the road at his house. "I never thought that it would end like this" he said to himself as the landscape around him faded to black.

Saito now found himself seemingly floating though a vast darkness, with the only visible object being a bright spot on the horizon that looked very much like a star. He leaned as far forward as his current orientation would allow, squinting in an attempt to get a better look at it. At first, he thought it worked, with the star coming more clearly into focus. It then became apparent that it wasn't that, but that it appeared to be getting closer. "Is that heaven?" Saito thought, still caught in the disillusion that he had died. Before he could give it any more thought, however, another light appeared on the horizon very near to the first, but this one was traveling much faster, and coming straight towards him!

Frantically trying to move out of its path, he tried everything he could to get out of the position he seemed stuck in. Having exhausted himself along with every plan he had come up with, he raised his head, to see that the light was almost upon him. Saito raised his arms in front of his face and braced for the impending contact with the light. Several moments passed and he remained in the same position, wondering if it was still hurdling towards him. Taking a deep breath, he slowly lowered his arms to get a better view of the situation. He stood dumbfounded, his mouth agape, at the sight before him. The light, that was was barreling straight at him just seconds before, now stood perfectly still right in front of him.

"Are you God?" Saito asked in a wavering tone, still trying to make sense of his situation. He then found his train of thought suddenly interrupted as a voice came from the center of the light. "God? What are you, some kind of idiot?" The rebuttal to his question caught Saito by surprise as the light surrounding the voice began to fade. As his eyes adjusted to the decreased level of light, he noticed a figure in the direction from where the mystery voice had come from. "Although I understand why you would be very confused about what's happening to you right now." The voice once again rang out. Saito also heard a metallic clanging noise when the voice spoke. The light around the figure finally settled, and he cautiously looked forward to identify the source of the voice, he saw that instead of a person, there was only a sword floating in front of him.

"Who are you?" Saito questioned, looking intently at the sword.

"My name" said the sword, "is Delfringher, and I've been looking for you, Hiraaga Saito."

-Chapter 1 End-


	3. A Second Chance at a First Impression

Requiem for a Familiar

This is my first story, so please read and review!

Disclaimer

I do not own Zero No Tsukaima, or its characters, I just love the story and want to share my take on it.

/Disclaimer

Chapter 2: A Second Chance at a First Impression

"How do you know my name?" Saito asked the floating sword "Where am I? How did I get here?" His thoughts now rushing through his head. "Easy now, one question at a time, partner." said the sword, attempting to calm him down. Saito paused for a moment. "Partner? What do you mean Partner?" The sword stayed silent, as if to gather its thoughts, and then began. "You have been summoned from your world, so you can save the future of another." Saito's eyes grew wide as the sword continued. "You are about to enter a world where magic and monsters exist. It's nothing like Japan or anywhere else in the world you come from." Delfringher now began slowly circling Saito, almost as if he were pacing in thought. "I have come here on behalf of my previous master, both to inform you of this world, and to help you in times of need." Saito now seemed deep in thought. "Who was your previous master?" He asked, realizing after his question that even with that answered, its not like he was going to know this person was. Delfringher, who was directly behind Saito at this point, abruptly came to a stop, silently contemplating before giving his answer. "The name of my former master..." The sword started, Saito now made more curious by its sudden apprehension. "...was you, Hiraaga Saito."

For a split second, Saito had a blank look on his face, while playing back what he had just heard in his head, trying to ensure that he had heard correctly. "Eh?" He screamed, attempting to reorient himself to face the sword, only to succeed in turning upside down. He looked to Delfringher from where he now was, the sole thought now in his head being his next question. "What do you mean?" He asked, unknowingly holding his breath in anticipation of the answer. The sword, however, stayed silent, even if only for a moment before breaking into a fit of laughter. Saito's impatience began to get the better of him as Delfringher finally settled down. "Sorry partner" it said through a series of small chuckles, "Maybe I should start from the beginning."

"The place we're in right now is a gap between dimensions." Delfringher stated while resuming his orbit around Saito. "I myself, am also from a different world, however my world is the same as the one you see there in the distance, only 15 years in the future." It said, pausing for a moment as Saito furiously attempted to right himself, continuing once again as he finally succeeded. "The world I came from was in danger of collapsing in on itself from years of prolonged abuse to the environment and the local space time continuum. After the discovery of a magic that made instant teleportation over great distances possible, it then became the greatest means of transportation in the world. It wasn't until it was too late that we realized the irreversible damage we had done to our world. You see, when you teleport, you are essentially ripping a hole in space, so that you can traverse through a dimensional rift, in order to arrive at your destination. You follow me so far?" Delfringher asked, hoping to not have to go any further into details about it.

Saito thought for a moment before replying. "So basically, what you're saying is that after years of ripping these wholes in the dimension, it started becoming unstable?" He asked, seeming to understand the situation. "Precisely" said the sword, resuming his explanation. "With our world in imminent danger, we called together the most prominent scholars and magic professors from around the continent to work on a solution to the problem. After countless hours and theories, it was unanimously decided that there was nothing that could be done. It wasn't until one man stood up with an idea to use the teleportation magic itself as a solution. His plan was to travel not through space, but through time, in order to warn their previous selves about the danger that came with this magic. Many debates were held about it before they finally accepted their collective fates, and prepared for what would be the last portal they could make." Saito gave a questioning glance to Delfringher. "The last portal? What happened?"

"Well," it said "it was ascertained that it was possible to travel through time as well as space, all you needed was to raise the power the portal required by an exponential amount. However, with that much power, it would inevitably bring about the collapse they were trying to prevent. It was decided to go ahead as planned, the consensus of the group being that all we could do was keep someone else from making the same mistakes that we had made. The problem then became how they were to deliver the message, as they had discovered that people themselves could not make the trip through time, only objects. It was then that I finally had my shining moment." Delfringher said proudly before continuing. "I told them it would be possible to imprint someones memories into me, so that I could travel back and give those imprinted memories to the same person in the past." Saito finally understood where this was going. "And that person would be me?" He asked. "You got it, partner!" Said the sword, content with his own explanation.

"So, how are you supposed to imprint these memories on me? Saito asked, "Is it something that I have to do?" "Well, yes, and no." said Delfringher. "All you have to do is grab hold of my hilt, and I can take care of the rest." Saito thought to himself for a few minutes, "Well, I'm not really sure about this, but it seems to be the only way out of this place." After making up his mind, Saito reached out with his right hand, and secured a firm grip of Delfringher's hilt. "Alright, here goes nothing!" said the sword as it began to glow in the same kind of light as when they had first met, but this time, it was only the blade itself that glowed. The light began creeping up Saito arm, to his chest. It felt incredibly warm as it made its way up his neck, until it finally encompassed his entire head. Once all of the light had come to rest on Saitos head, Delfringher gave the final instruction for the procedure. "Now, just close your eyes, and open your mind." Saito took a deep breath, and did as the sword said.

It was then that a flood of images began flashing through his mind. To his surprise, every image he saw, he knew, and could recall everything that had happened in every situation. It was as if they were his own memories. It was several minutes before Saito opened his eyes again, he glanced down to the sword that was still in his hand. "Well? How do you feel?" The sword asked, hoping that the transfer had gone off without a hitch. Saito simply smiled and said, "It's good to see you again, Del." "Alright, it worked!" said the Del. "I was kinda worried about you there for a second. You know what needs to be done, right?" It asked. Saito closed his eyes momentarily, the smile still on his face. "Yes, I do, I remember what needs to be done." He said, opening his eyes once again. "Then I think it's time we made our way" remarked Del, "she's still waiting for you."

With the two of them now on the same page, they made their way towards the star on the horizon, now knowing full well what to expect. The closer they drew to the light, the harder it became to see, until they finally passed through. The brightness subsided, even if it was only a bit, and as Saito looked around to gain his bearings, he found himself in midair. Quite high in midair to be exact, and he was quickly plummeting towards the ground. He braced himself for the impact as he crashed into the earth. A plume of dust and dirt shot up from where he had landed. As he coughed and gasped for air, he heard a voice come from his left side. "What is that? A plebeian? Haha, Louise summoned a commoner!" Saito rose to his feet as the laughter around him grew. Surveying his surroundings, he noticed a small girl on the ground, not far from him, and she was the only one not laughing, as she looked up at him, he knew immediately. "This is Louise, she summoned me here as her familiar, and these people were always making fun of her. Alright, let's see if I can't changer that." Saito then began walking towards Louise, who was still on the ground staring disbelievingly at him. "Your name is Louise, is it not?" Saito asked as he offered his hand to the now very confused girl. "Y-Y-Yes, it is." She said in a wavering tone, attempting to regain her composure now that she was back on her feet. "My name is Hiraaga Saito" he replied, staring directly into Louise' eyes "and I am our familiar."

-Chapter 2 End-


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